1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a resist developer, and more particularly to a resist developer which can be suitably used for forming an image (a pattern) from a positive or negative resist such as an azide compound-type resist or a chemical amplification-type resist.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Conventionally, it has been required in the field of the art relating to lithography employed in the production of semiconductor devices and liquid crystal display devices that the dissolution selectivity of a photoresist and uniformity of fine patterns formed from the photoresist are improved. In order to satisfy the above requirement, as a positive or negative resist, there has been developed a high resolution resist such as an azide compound-type resist or a chemical amplification-type resist, the base resin of which is an alkali-soluble polymer. Also, as a developer for the resist, an aqueous solution of a quaternary ammonium hydroxide has been proposed.
The aqueous solution of a quaternary ammonium hydroxide, however, cannot be appropriately used as a developer in the field of the art requiring high resolution since the aqueous solution does not form fine patterns of a resist due to its poor dissolution selectivity.
In order to improve the dissolution selectivity of a resist, there has been proposed a developer prepared by mixing an aqueous solution of a quaternary ammonium hydroxide with an alkylene oxide compound as disclosed in Japanese Examined Patent Publication Nos. Hei 6-38159 and Hei 5-73228, and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Sho 60-223120. The proposed developer, however, does not satisfy the required dissolution selectivity to a resist.
An object of the present invention is to provide a resist developer showing excellent dissolution selectivity, which promotes the solubility of a resist to be dissolved and inhibits the solubility of a resist not to be dissolved to form uniform fine resist patterns corresponding to the fine patterns of its resist mask.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a resist developer which develops a resist in a short period of time.
These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided
(A) a resist developer prepared from
(1) at least one compound selected from a basic organic compound A and an organic compound B capable of forming a salt together with a basic compound, and/or
(2) a salt C of the basic organic compound A and the organic compound B capable of forming a salt together with the basic compound;
(B) a resist developer comprising a salt C of a basic organic compound A and an organic compound B capable of forming a salt together with a basic compound; and
(C) a method for developing a resist, comprising using the resist developer according to the above (A) or (B).
The resist developer of the present invention is prepared from
(1) at least one compound selected from a basic,organic compound A and an organic compound B capable of forming a salt together with a basic compound (hereinafter merely referred to as xe2x80x9corganic compound Bxe2x80x9d), and/or
(2) a salt C formed from the basic organic compound A and the organic compound B.
The salt C formed from the basic organic compound A and the organic compound B is intended to mean that the salt C is composed of a salt of the basic organic acid A and the organic acid B, and/or a dissociated substance generated from the salt C.
The starting material used for the developer of the present invention includes, for instance, a combination of the basic organic compound A and the organic compound B; the salt C; a combination of the basic organic compound A, the organic compound B and the salt C; and a combination of the basic organic compound A and the salt C. The developer can be easily prepared, for instance, by dissolving the starting material in water.
The developer includes the salt C, and moreover may include the basic organic compound A and/or the organic compound B.
Representative examples of the basic organic compound A include ammonia, primary amines, secondary amines, tertiary amines, imines, alkanol amines, amides, basic heterocyclic compounds, quaternary ammonium hydroxides, and the like. Those compounds can be used alone or in admixture thereof.
Concrete examples of the basic organic compound A include ammonia; primary amines such as ethylamine, n-propylamine, n-butylamine and 1,3-diaminopropane; secondary amines such as diethylamine, di-n-propylamine, di-n-butylamine and 4,4xe2x80x2-diaminodiphenylamine; tertiary amines such as n,n-dimethylethylamine, n,n-diethylmethylamine and triethylamine; imines such as bis(dialkylamino)imine; alkanol amines such as monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine, diethylethanolmine and propanolamine; amides such as formamide and acetoamide; basic heterocyclic compounds having at least one hetero-atom selected from nitrogen atom, oxygen atom and sulfur atom in its ring structure having 3 to 5 carbon atoms, such as pyrrole, pyrrolidine, pyrrolidone, pyridine, morpholine, pyrazine, piperidine, oxazole and thiazole; a quaternary ammonium hydroxide represented by the formula (II): 
wherein each of R2, R3, R4 and R5 is independently an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an aralkyl group having 7 or 8 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 8 carbon atoms, a hydroxyalkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or an alkoxyalkyl group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms; and the like.
Concrete examples of the quaternary ammonium hydroxide represented by the formula (II) include tetramethylammonium hydroxide (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cTMAHxe2x80x9d), tetraethylammonium hydroxide, tetrabutylammonium hydroxide, tributylammonium hydroxide, trimethylhydroxyethylammonium hydroxide (hereinafter refereed to as xe2x80x9ccholinexe2x80x9d), tetraethanolammonium hydroxide, methyltriethanolammonium hydroxide, and the like. Among them, from the viewpoint of dissolution selectivity, the quaternary ammonium hydroxide is preferable. Also, it is desirable that each of R2, R3, R4 and R5 in the formula (II) has 1 to 4 carbon atoms, preferably 1 or 2 carbon atoms, respectively. In particular, TMAH and choline are most preferable.
The term xe2x80x9cdissolution selectivityxe2x80x9d described herein is intended to mean a nature which promotes the solubility of the region of a resist to be dissolved, and which inhibits the solubility of the region of a resist not to be dissolved. For instance, when a positive resist is developed with the resist developer, the region of the resist to which ultraviolet rays, far ultraviolet rays, excimer lasers, X-rays or electron beams are irradiated, corresponds to the region of a resist to be dissolved, and the region of the resist to which any rays are not irradiated, corresponds to the region of a resist not to be dissolved.
Examples of the basic compound capable of forming a salt together with the organic compound B include the basic organic compound A and a basic inorganic compound. Examples of the basic inorganic compound include, for instance, sodium hydroxide, pottasium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, and the like.
Concrete examples of the organic compound B include organic compounds having carboxyl group, thiocarboxyl group, dithiocarboxyl group, sulfo group, sulfino group or sulfeno group, and salts formed from the organic compound and the basic inorganic compound.
Concrete examples of the organic compound B further include ethers, esters, amides and imides, which have carboxyl group, thiocarboxyl group, dithiocarboxyl group, sulfo group, sulfino group or sulfeno group in their molecules, and salts formed from those compounds and the basic inorganic compound.
Examples of the ether, the ester, the amide and the imide include esters prepared by reacting a polycarboxylic acid, a polythiocarboxylic acid or a polydithiocarboxylic acid with an alcohol or an alkylene oxide adduct thereof; amides, imides or esters prepared by reacting a polycarboxylic acid, a polythiocarboxylic acid or a polydithiocarboxylic acid with an amine or an alkylene oxide adduct thereof; and the like.
Examples of the alcohol and the alkylene oxide adduct thereof include a linear saturated alcohol, a branched saturated alcohol, a linear unsaturated alcohol, a branched unsaturated alcohol, an alcohol having an aromatic ring, an alcohol having an alicyclic ring or a heterocyclic ring, a polyhydric alcohol, ethyleneoxide and/or propyleneoxide adducts thereof, and the like.
Examples of the amine and the alkylene oxide adduct thereof include a linear saturated amine, a branched saturated amine, a linear unsaturated amine, a branched unsaturated amine, an amine having an aromatic ring, an amine having an alicyclic ring or a heterocyclic ring, a polyamine, ethyleneoxide and/or propylene oxide adducts thereof, and the like.
Concrete examples of the organic compound B include acidic inorganic acid esters such as a carbonic acid ester, a sulfuric acid ester and a phosphoric acid ester, a complex compound of a basic acid ester, a salt of the acidic inorganic acid ester and the basic inorganic compound, and a salt of the complex compound of a boric acid ester and the basic inorganic compound.
Concrete examples of the organic compound B include an organic acid, and a salt of the organic acid and the basic organic compound. Examples of the organic acid include a carboxylic acid, a thiocarboxylic acid, a dithiocarboxylic acid, a peracid, mercaptan, sulfonic acid, sulfinic acid, sulfenic acid, phosphonic acid, phosphatidic acid, phosphine, and the like.
The organic compound B is preferably an organic compound having carboxyl group, thiocarboxyl group or dithiocarboxyl group in its molecule, or a salt of the organic compound and the basic inorganic compound, more preferably an organic compound having carboxyl group in its molecule or a salt of the organic compound and the basic inorganic compound, furthermore preferably a carboxylic acid or a salt thereof, particularly preferably a carboxylic acid from the viewpoint of dissolution selectivity.
As the carboxylic acid, there can be cited, for instance, at least one carboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of a linear saturated monocarboxylic acid, a linear unsaturated monocarboxylic acid, a branched saturated monocarboxylic acid, a branched unsaturated monocarboxylic acid, a saturated polycarboxylic acid, an unsaturated polycarboxylic acid, a hydroxycarboxylic acid, an aminocarboxylic acid, an alkoxycarboxylic acid, a carboxylic acid having an aromatic ring, a carboxylic acid having an alicyclic ring and a carboxylic acid having a heterocyclic ring.
It is desirable that the molecular weight of the carboxylic acid is 46 to 10000, preferably 46 to 1000, and more preferably 46 to 200 from the viewpoint of dissolution selectivity.
Also, in order to more improve the dissolution selectivity, it is desirable that the carboxylic acid is represented by the formula (I):
Axe2x80x94[(R1)kxe2x80x94(COOH)m]nxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(I)
wherein R1 is hydrogen atom, a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having a linear, branched or cyclic skeleton of 1 to 40 carbon atoms; the hydrocarbon group of R1 may have 1 to 5 oxygen atoms, nitrogen atoms or sulfur atoms; hydrogen atom bonded to carbon atom of R1 may be substituted with xe2x80x94OH group, xe2x80x94NH2 group, xe2x80x94SH group or xe2x80x94NO2 group; each of xe2x80x94COOH groups may be bonded to the same carbon atom of R1; k is 0 or 1; m is an integer of 1 to 40; n is an integer of 1 to 3; A is xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94 group, xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94 group, xe2x80x94NHxe2x80x94 group, xe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94 group or 
group, or is not presented; with proviso that in a case where A is presented, n is 2 or 3, and that in a case where A is not presented, n is 1.
It is desirable that R1 is an alkylene group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aralkyl group having 7 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms or an alkoxyalkyl group having 2 to 20 carbon atoms.
When A is not presented in the formula (I), concrete examples of the carboxylic acid include linear saturated monocarboxylic acids having 1 to 18 carbon atoms such as formic acid, acetic acid and propionic acid; linear unsaturated monocarboxylic acids such as acrylic acid, crotonic acid, vinylacetic acid, 4-pentenoic acid, 6-heptenoic acid, 2-octenoic acid, undecylenic acid and oleic acid; branched saturated monocarboxylic acids such as isobutyric acid, isovaleric acid, pivalic acid, 2-methylbutyric acid, 2-methylvaleric acid, 2,2-dimethylbutyric acid, 2-ethylbutyric acid, tert-butylbutyric acid, 2,2-dimethylpentanoic acid, 2-ethylpentanoic acid, 2-methylhexanoic acid, 2-ethylhexanoic acid, 2,4-dimethylhexanoic acid, 2-methylheptanoic acid, 2-propylpentanoic acid, 3,5,5-trimethylhexanoic acid, 2-methyloctanoic acid, 2-ethylheptanoic acid, 2-ethyl-2,3,3-trimethylbutyric acid, 2,2,4,4-tetramethylpentanoic acid and 2,2-diisopropyl propionic acid; branched unsaturated monocarboxylic acids such as methacrylic acid, tiglic acid, 3,3-dimethylacrylic acid, 2,2-dimethyl-4-pentenoic acid, 2-ethyl-2-hexenoic acid and citronellic acid; saturated polycarboxylic acids such as oxalic acid, malonic acid, methylmalonic acid, ethylmalonic acid, dimethylmalonic acid, succinic acid, methylsuccinic acid, 2,2-dimethylsuccinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, 3-methyladipic acid, sebacic acid, hexadecanedionic acid, 1,2,3-propanetricarboxylic acid, 1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylic acid, polyacrylic acid and polymaleic acid; unsaturated polycarboxylic acids such as maleic acid, fumaric acid, citraconic acid, mesaconic acid, cis-aconitic acid and trans-aconitic acid; hydroxycarboxylic acids such as lactic acid, gluconic acid, tartaric acid, malic acid and citric acid; aminocarboxylic acids such as glicine, DL-alanine, 4-aminobutyric acid, DL-3-aminobutyric acid and sarcosine; alkoxycarboxylic acids such as methoxyacetic acid and ethoxyacetic acid; carboxylic acids having an aromatic ring such as benzoic acid, terephthalic acid, trimellitic acid and naphthoic acid; carboxylic acids having an alicyclic ring such as cyclohexanecarboxylic acid, cyclohexanepropionic acid, cyclohexanebutyric acid and cyclopentanecarboxylic acid; carboxylic acids having a heterocyclic ring such as furoic acid, thenoic acid and nicotinic acid; and the like.
Also, when A is presented in the formula (I), concrete examples of the carboxylic acid include diglycolic acid, thiodiglycolic acid, 4,6-dioxoheptanoic acid, iminodiacetic acid and nitrilotriacetic acid.
Among those carboxylic acids, from the viewpoint of dissolution selectivity, it is desired that R1 in the formula (I) is hydrogen atom, a linear saturated hydrocarbon group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, a branched saturated hydrocarbon group having 3 to 18 carbon atoms, a linear unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 2 to 18 carbon atoms, a branched unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 3 to 18 carbon atoms, a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having an alicyclic group of 3 to 18 carbon atoms, or a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having an aromatic ring of 6 to 18 carbon atoms. Moreover, R1 is preferably a linear saturated hydrocarbon group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, a branched saturated hydrocarbon group having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, a linear unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 2 to 12 carbon atoms, a branched unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having an alicyclic ring having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, or a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having an aromatic ring of 6 to 12 carbon atoms. In particular, R1 is most preferably a linear saturated hydrocarbon group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a branched saturated hydrocarbon group having 3 to 6 carbon atoms, a linear unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms, a branched unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 3 to 6 carbon atoms, a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having an alicyclic ring of 3 to 6 carbon atoms, or a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having an aromatic ring of 6 to 8 carbon atoms.
When the hydrocarbon group of R1 has oxygen atom, nitrogen atom or sulfur atom, it is desirable that each number of those atoms is 1 or 2, respectively.
In the formula (I), from the viewpoint of dissolution selectivity, it is desirable that m is an integer of 1 to 40, preferably an integer of 1 to 20, more preferably an integer of 1 to 12, most preferably an integer of 1 to 6.
Examples of the thiocarboxylic acid include o-thioacetic acid and hexanebis(thioic acid). Examples of the dithiocarboxylic acid include dithiobenzoic acid. Examples of an ester having carboxyl group include monoethyl succinate and acetylsalicylic acid. Examples of an amide having carboxyl group include oxaminic acid and DL-alanyl-DL-alanine.
The salt C which is contained in the developer can be prepared, for instance, by
(A) a method comprising adding the salt C formed from the basic organic compound A and the organic compound B to water,
(B) a method comprising adding the basic organic compound A and the organic compound B to water to form the salt C,
(C) a method comprising adding a salt formed from the basic inorganic compound and the organic compound B to a developer containing the basic organic compound A, and substituting an anion constituting the salt contained in the developer with an anion constituting the basic organic compound A and the like to form the salt C. Among those methods, the above methods (A) and (B) are preferable as compared with the above method (C) from the viewpoint of the prevention of circuits from corrosion due to a metal derived from the basic inorganic compound.
It is desirable to use a salt formed form a preferable basic organic compound selected from the basic organic compounds A and a preferable organic compound selected from the organic compounds B as the salt C, from the viewpoint of dissolution selectivity.
It is desirable that each solubility of the organic compound B and the salt C to 100 parts by weight of a 2% by weight TMAH aqueous solution at 25xc2x0 C. is at least 0.001 parts by weight, preferably at least 0.05 parts by weight, more preferably 0.1 parts by weight, from the viewpoint of dissolution selectivity. Also, it is desirable that the first dissociation constant of pKa of the organic compound B at 25xc2x0 C. is 0.1 to 10, preferably 0.5 to 6 from the viewpoint of dissolution selectivity.
It is desirable that the sum of the content of the basic organic compound A and the content of the basic organic compound A constituting the salt C in the developer is at least 0.5% by weight, preferably at least 1% by weight, more preferably at least 1.5% by weight from the viewpoint that the dissolution of a region of a resist to be dissolved is accelerated. Also, it is desirable that the sum is at most 20% by weight, preferably at most 10% by weight, more preferably at most 5.5% by weight from the viewpoint that the dissolution of a region of a resist not to be dissolved is inhibited. Moreover, the sum is preferably 0.5 to 20% by weight, more preferably 1 to 10% by weight, most preferably 1.5 to 5.5% by weight.
The content of the basic organic compound A in the developer is preferably 0.1 to 19.5% by weight, more preferably 0.5 to 10% by weight, most preferably 1.5 to 2.5% by weight from the viewpoint of dissolution selectivity.
It is desirable that the sum of the content of the organic compound B and the content of the organic compound B constituting the salt C in the developer is 0.001 to 15% by weight, preferably 0.001 to 4% by weight, more preferably 0.05 to 2% by weight, most preferably 0.05 to 1% by weight from the viewpoint of dissolution selectivity.
It is desirable in the developer that the ratio of the sum of the equivalent of the basic organic compound A and the equivalent of the basic organic compound A constituting the salt C to the sum of the equivalent of the organic compound B and the equivalent of the organic compound B constituting the salt C is 1:0.001 to 1:0.80, preferably 1:0.005 to 1:0.60, more preferably 1:0.01 to 1:0.50 from the viewpoint of dissolution selectivity.
Also, it is desirable in the developer that the ratio of the equivalent of the basic organic compound A to the sum of the equivalent of the organic compound B and the equivalent of the organic compound B constituting the salt C is 1:0.001 to 1:4, preferably 1:0.005 to 1:1.5, more preferably 1:0.01 to 1:1, from the viewpoint of dissolution selectivity.
It is desirable that the content of the salt C in the developer is 0.001 to 34.5% by weight, preferably 0.01 to 15% by weight, more preferably 0.05 to 10% by weight, most preferably 0.01 to 5% by weight from the viewpoint of dissolution selectivity.
When the developer contains the basic organic compound A and the salt C, each content of the basic organic compound A, the organic compound B constituting the salt C and the basic organic compound A constituting the salt C in the developer respectively can be determined, for instance, by the following method.
The developer is titrated with two-tenth normal (0.2N) alcohol-hydrochloric acid standard solution by means of a potentiometric titration apparatus, and the total amine value (KOHmg/g) is determined by a known method prescribed, for instance, in ASTM D2073-66, and the like.
Since the developer contains the salt C, when the developer is titrated with the alcohol-hydrochloric acid standard solution, the resulting pH titration curve shows at least two inflection points.
The minimum amine value among the total amine values obtained is regarded as amine value of the basic organic compound A (KOHmg/g) in the developer.
The difference between the maximum amine value and the minimum value is regarded as amine value (KOHmg/g) of the basic organic compound A constituting the salt C in the developer.
Thereafter, the total amine value of the basic organic compound A itself is measured by the above method.
Also, the acid value (KOHmg/g) of the organic compound B itself is measured by a known method such as a method prescribed in JIS K 0070 (1992).
The content (% by weight) of the basic organic compound A in the developer, the content (% by weight) of the organic compound B constituting the salt C in the developer, and the content (% by weight) of the basic organic compound A constituting the salt C in the developer can be determined by the following equations.
[The content (% by weight) of the basic organic compound A in the developer]=[The minimum amine value (KQHmg/g) in the developer]÷[The total amine value (KOHmg/g) of the basic organic compound A itself]xc3x97100
[The content (% by weight) of the organic compound B constituting the salt C in the developer]=[The amine value (KOHmg/g) of the basic organic compound A constituting the salt C in the developer]÷[The acid value (KOHmg/g) of the organic compound B itself]xc3x97100
[The content (% by weight) of the basic organic compound A constituting the salt C in the developer]=[The amine value (KOHmg/g) of the basic organic compound A constituting the salt C in the developer]÷[The total amine value (KOHmg/g) of the basic organic compound A itself]xc3x97100
Also, when an alkylene oxide compound is incorporated in the developer, the dissolution selectivity can be improved, and the development can be accelerated. The alkylene oxide compound described herein means a compound prepared by adding an alkylene oxide to a compound having active hydrogen, such as an alcohol, a phenolic compound, an amine or a carboxylic acid, or a derivative thereof.
Concrete examples of the alcohol include linear saturated alcohols such as methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, n-butanol, n-pentanol, hexyl alcohol, n-octanol and n-dodecanol; branched saturated alcohols such as 2-methyl-1-propanol, neopentyl alcohol, amyl alcohol, 3-methyl-1-pentanol and 2-ethyl-1-hexanol; linear unsaturated alcohols such as allyl alcohol, crotyl alcohol and oleyl alcohol; branched unsaturated alcohols such as 2-methyl-2-propene-1-ol and 4-methyl-3-pentene-1-ol; alcohols having an aromatic ring such as benzyl alcohol; alcohols having an alicyclic ring or a heterocyclic ring such as cyclohexanol, cyclohexyl methanol, cyclooctanol, decahydro-2-naphthol and furfuryl alcohol; polyhydric alcohols such as ethylene glycol, 1,3-propanediol, 1,4-butanediol, glycerol, pentaerythritol, arabitol and sorbitol; and the like.
Examples of the phenolic compound include phenol, o-crezol, nonyl phenol, and the like.
Examples of the amine include linear saturated amines such as ethylamine, propylamine, octylamine and dodecylamine; branched saturated amines such as isopropylamine and tert-butylamine; linear unsaturated amines such as allylamine and oleylamine; amines having an aromatic ring such as aniline, n-methylaniline, p-toluidine and benzylamine; amines having an alicyclic ring or a heterocyclic ring such as cyclopropylamine, cyclohexylamine and furfurylamine; polyamines such as ethylenediamine, diethylenetriamine and triethylenetetramine; and the like.
Examples of the carboxylic acid include, for instance, the same carboxylic acid as used in the organic compound B as explained above, such as a linear saturated monocarboxylic acid, a linear unsaturated monocarboxylic acid, a branched saturated monocarboxylic acid, a branched unsaturated monocarboxylic acid, a saturated polycarboxylic acid, an unsaturated polycarboxylic acid, hydroxycarboxylic acid, aminocarboxylic acid, alkoxycarboxlic acid, a carboxylic acid having an aromatic ring and a carboxylic acid having an alicyclic ring or a heterocyclic ring.
Examples of the alkylene oxide used as a starting material of the alkylene oxide compound include ethylene oxide and propylene oxide. Those compounds can be used alone or in admixture thereof. Also, those compounds can be adducts thereof in the form such as a random form or a block form.
Among the alkylene oxide compounds, it is preferable to use a compound represented by the formula (III):
R6pY1xe2x80x94[(AO)rxe2x80x94Y2R7]qxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(III)
wherein R6 is hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, an aralkyl group having 7 to 18 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having 2 to 18 carbon atoms, or an aryl group having 6 to 18 carbon atoms; Y1 is xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94 group, xe2x80x94COOxe2x80x94 group or 
group; A is at least one of ethylene group and propylene group; r is an integer of 1 to 60; Y2 is xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94 group or is not presented; R7 is hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms or an alkenyl group having 2 to 18 carbon atoms; p is 1 or 2; q is 1 or 2; and with the previso that Y1 is xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94 group or xe2x80x94COOxe2x80x94 group, the sum of p and q is 2, and with the previso that Y1 is 
group, the sum of p and q is 3, from the viewpoint of dissolution selectivity.
It is desirable that R6 is hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, an aralkyl group having 7 to 12 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having 2 to 12 carbon atoms or an aryl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, preferably hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an aralkyl group having 7 or 8 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms or an aryl group having 6 to 8 carbon atoms.
Also, it is desirable that R7 is hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having 2 to 12 carbon atoms, preferably hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or an alkenyl group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms. Moreover, it is desirable that r is an integer of 1 to 30, preferably an integer of 1 to 15, more preferably an integer of 1 to 6.
It is desirable that the content of the alkylene oxide compound in the developer is 0.001 to 5.0% by weight, preferably 0.01 to 2.0% by weight, more preferably 0.01 to 0.5% by weight from the viewpoint of dissolution selectivity.
The developer of the present invention can be used in the developing process after the exposure process of a positive or negative resist. In particular, the developer can be preferably used in the process of lithography employed in the process for the production of semiconductor devices and liquid crystal display devices, which require fine resist patterns since the developer highly enhances the dissolution selectivity.
As a method for developing a substrate with the developer of the present invention, there can be employed, for instance, a method for developing each of substrates such as wafer with a spinner by means of a puddling process respectively, a method for developing some substrates at a time in a cassette by means of a dipping process, a method for developing a substrate comprising giving a substrate mechanical stress of the developer by means of spraying process or a process using the rotation of a spinner, and the like. Among those developing methods, it is desirable to employ the method for developing each of substrates by means of a puddling process respectively from the viewpoints of the reduction of consumption of the developer and the improvement of dissolution selectivity. The developing temperature is preferably 10xc2x0 to 60xc2x0 C., more preferably 15xc2x0 to 30xc2x0 C.
There is no limitation on the kinds of a resist to which the developer of the present invention is applied. Examples of the resist include, for instance, a positive resist containing an alkali-soluble novolak resin and a photodecomposition agent such as a naphthoquinone azide compound as its ingredients, a chemical amplification-type positive resist containing an alkali-insoluble resin such as p-tert-butoxycarbonyloxystyrene, and an acid-generating agent such as triphenylsulfonium triflate as its ingredients, a negative resist containing an alkali-soluble novolak resin and a photosensitive agent such as an azide compound as its ingredients, a chemical amplification-type negative resist containing an alkali-soluble polyvinylphenol resin or a novolak resin, an acid-reactive crosslinking agent such as a melanin or silanol acid-reactive crosslinking agent and a photoacid-generating agent as its ingredients, and the like.
The resist developer of the present invention shows excellent dissolution selectivity, that is, excellent properties for promoting the solubility of a resist to be dissolved and inhibiting the solubility of a resist not to be dissolved.
Accordingly, the developer forms precise fine patterns having a high resolution in a very short period of time.